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Dr. Nina
Nash-Robertson conducts the Festival Chorus and CMU Orchestra in concert Saturday,
November 23, 2013 at 8 p.m. in Plachta Auditorium. This years works include the
Vivaldi Gloria, the Mark Hayes Magnificent, and the Jonathan Willcocks Gloria.

Vivaldi’s Gloria is written in Latin, features all
woman soloists, with each movement vastly different from the others. The
wonderfully sunny nature of the Gloria,
with its distinctive melodies and rhythms, is characteristic of all of
Vivaldi’s music, giving it a universal appeal.

The Willcocks Gloria features brass, choir, percussion
and organ, with the composer using a variety of mixed meters to bring out the
Latin “Gloria” text. This November’s concert marks the first performance by
Festival Chorus of this work.

Mark Hayes has
scored the Magnificent for choir, winds,
harp and organ. Hayes is noted for his jazzy and gospel-style pieces. The text
used for the Magnificent is taken from the Latin; however, this piece will be
primarily sung in English.

Tickets are $8 general admission, and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at Ticket Central by phone at 989-774-3045 or at the door. Tickets on-line at:

CMU School of Music celebrates
over 100 years of Festival Chorus

This year marks
the 31st anniversary of Professor Nash-Robertson conducting Festival
Chorus. The Chorus is a group of singers of all ages based out of Central
Michigan University. Each year the ensemble, together with the CMU orchestra
presents a major choral work in Plachta Auditorium on the campus of CMU.

Festival Chorus
holds a place dear in the heart of Professor Nash-Roberson. “I love working
with the students, and the voice faculty soloists” Nash-Robertson said during
the interview. Two recent events stand out as highlights in her mind. They
include the spring 2013 Carnegie Hall performance of Haydn’s Creation and the China tour in the
summer of 2010 that included a performance of the Faure Requiem with members of the Shanghai Philharmonic.

Memorable events
prior to the Carnegie performance and China tour include performances of the
Poulenc Gloria and the Brahms Requiem. Nina said, “The Brahms
requiem was such a musical experience and brought the ensemble to an entire new
level.”

Robertson goes on
to say, “I think one of the great things about festival chorus is that it
brings together age groups that normally wouldn’t preform together.” Over the
years she has been impressed by the growth shown during the fall rehearsals by members
of Festival Chorus and the orchestra, and how very hard working and intelligent
the musicians are.

Festival Chorus
holds a tradition of being a truly remarkable event here at CMU. Come help
celebrate Festival Chorus as they move into their second hundred years of
bringing great choral music to the community.